High power battery modules, such as those utilized in hybrid and electric vehicles, require adequate cooling to perform optimally. Typically, these battery modules are space constrained, such as in the tunnel disposed between the seats of the associated vehicle or disposed below the passenger compartment of the associated vehicle. The battery modules are generally disposed on top of one or more cooling plates, packs, or the like. These cooling plates or packs are coupled to one or more cooling pipes that circulate a cooling fluid, such as air, water, coolant, or the like, forming effective heat exchangers. Preferably, the access points and electrical contacts for the battery modules are disposed vertically, for convenient access and so that fluids potentially disposed within the battery modules do not leak out. Disadvantageously, such stacked vertical battery arrangement requires a significant degree of available height, often causing inefficient/undesirable tunnel space utilization and/or intruding into the passenger compartment of the associated vehicle. As a result, tunnel space utilization cannot be optimized, seat position height must be higher than is otherwise desired, etc. Typically, for a variety of safety and design reasons, and depending on the type of vehicle, it is desirable for seat position height to be as low as possible within the passenger compartment of the associated vehicle, for example.